NCJ Number
111530
Date Published
1987
Length
40 pages
Annotation
This paper examines trends in terrorism and evaluates the effectiveness of various antiterrorist policies.
Abstract
Perceptions of the terrorist threat have been greatly exaggerated. Trend information indicating increased terrorism and violence disguises some important geographic and cultural patterns. The situation in Lebanon and continuing insurgent wars in Africa and Latin America are responsible for a disproportionate number of the most violent incidents and tend to obscure the successes of counterterrorist activities in other parts of the world. International agreements and the international legal system have had limited value in combatting terrorism. Nonetheless, they do have political utility in marshalling cooperation. The United Nations has not been a useful forum for developing effective and enforceable agreements, and future efforts should, therefore, focus on more limited contracts with countries that share a determination to combat terrorism. The greatest successes in the war against terrorism have been in the areas of security, intelligence, and intervention. Security measures have reduced risks to targets such as embassies and air travel. Aggressive intelligence has enhanced the ability of security forces to terrorist attacks and have limited terrorists' freedom of action. The threat of intervention by commando forces provides a last resort that can guarantee that terrorist demands are not met. A national program combining all three measures is the most effective deterrent to political violence. 4 figures, 2 tables, and 41 references.